Embodiments of the inventive subject matter generally relate to power distribution, and more particularly, to power distribution in an information handling system.
Due to persistent improvement and development of components for use with information handling systems, applicable printed circuit boards and components mounted thereon are increasingly intricate. Accordingly, it is imperative to carry out effective thermal management for the printed circuit boards and components thereon.
In a conventional information handling system, a plurality of printed circuit boards typically carry, interconnect and power various components. The printed circuit boards operate at a high power level, and thus the components mounted on the printed circuit boards are likely to burn, be carbonized, or ignite. The mentioned kinds of damage are unwanted.
In a conventional computer system, a server or a mobile computer system typically comprises a circuit board, a power supply unit (PSU), a power plane, and a plurality of power rails. A large amount of heat easily accumulates at a specific portion of each of the aforesaid components. Furthermore, the aforesaid components lack any good protection mechanism. As a result, there is currently great concern about severe combustion and damage of the aforesaid components.
For example, components which are likely to accumulate excessive heat include, but are not limited to, a plurality of voltage regulator modules (VRM) for supplying power to the components in the computer system. The plurality of voltage regulator modules include a voltage regulator module which supply a voltage to a central processing unit (CPU), a voltage regulator module which supply a voltage to a memory, and a voltage regulator module which supply a voltage to a hard disk drive. The voltage regulator modules perform voltage transformation to thereby supply appropriate voltages to the CPU, the memory, and the hard disk drive.
Each of the voltage regulators or the other components is often equipped with a high-integration chip and often has a protective logical circuit. Due to each voltage regulator being equipped with a high-integration chip, if a portion of the chip is damaged, heat generated will accumulate at the damaged portion of the chip, and the temperature of the damaged portion of the chip will increase abruptly. As a result, the printed circuit board or similar means is likely to ignite and smolder. Although each of the voltage regulators or the other components has the protective circuit, the protective circuit provides only one-time protection. For example, although the protective circuit serves a protective purpose such that the computer system stops being supplied with power and shuts down, the protective circuit may have burnt at this time.
When one of the protective circuits has been burnt, an ignorant user may restart the computer system or the computer system itself may restart. As a result, the voltage is applied to the printed circuit board or components to generate an abnormally large current such that severe damages may happen on the chips or a related portion of the printed circuit board or similar means may burn, smolder, or ignite.
In other words, the one-time protective logical circuit is incapable of providing protection beyond at point when the circuit is damaged. In particular, with the trend of ever-increasing integration of chips, severe combustion and damage of the printed circuit board or components can happen.
The aforesaid combustion and damage is not solely attributed to voltage regulators, but the other electronic components can also encounter the similar problem. Hence, with regard to electronic components mounted on printed circuit board, it is imperative to find a solution concerning short-circuit/burnout which can occur for different reasons, including but not limited to short-circuit/burnout due to an overly large current generated as a result of a user's restarting the computer system manually or the spontaneous restart of the computer system. At present, conventional approaches have not yet provided any solution to how to achieve multiple-time protection.